Cross-linked alginate-guar gum beads as fluidized bed affinity media for purification of jacalin

Copolymeric beads consisting of cross-linked alginate-guar gum were found to fluidize well. The terminal velocity and bed expansion index were found to be 1339.4 cm h−1 and 5.9, respectively. The calculated particle Reynold number of 400 indicated laminar flow. The residence time distribution curves with bovine serum albumin showed intermediate dispersion behaviour according to axial dispersion model. The presence of guar gum in the beads led to binding of jacalin, with maximum binding capacity of 35 × 104 U ml−1 beads. The dynamic binding capacity at 5% breakthrough reflected efficient loading of the lectin. The haemagglutinating activity could be recovered at the level of 88% and the preparation was found to be 50-fold purified. SDS-PAGE showed a single band for the purified preparation.